Abstract: A method for costing a web service operable for querying one or more data sources, the method including calculating the cost of operating the web service, measuring web service usage data using one or more service metrics, wherein the one or more service metrics include at least one derived service metric, choosing at least one service metric from the one or more service metrics, wherein one or more of the at least one chosen service metrics is a derived service metric, calculating the cost of the web service based on the at least one chosen service metric, and charging for usage of the web service based upon the calculated cost of the web service.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generating travel queries in response to free text queries. One of the methods includes receiving a free text query; generating a travel query from the free text query, wherein the travel query expressly specifies an origin location, a destination location, and a departure date, wherein each of the origin location, the destination location, and the departure date are expressly identified as such in the travel query; and submitting the travel query to a travel search engine. Optionally the method includes obtaining user information about a user associated with the free text query, obtaining popular travel information, and deriving origin or destination locations, or departure or return dates from the free text query, the user information, and the popular-travel information.

Abstract: An Online Charging System (“OCS”) for charging a data session of a subscriber, in response to a request to initiate the data session provides a first granted service units of data for the data session. During the data session, the OCS receives a change in charging conditions for the subscriber and, in response to the change, sends a re-authorization message to the subscriber. In response to the re-authorization message, the OCS receives from the subscriber a first update message that includes a used service units for the data session since the previous update message. In response to the update message, and based on the change in charging conditions and the used service units, the OCS then provides a second granted service units of data for the data session.

Abstract: A method for optimizing virtual storage in a virtual computer system including at least one virtual machine, each virtual machine being associated with one or more virtual disks. A target set of virtual machines among the virtual machines comprised in the virtual computer system is determined based on information related to the virtual machines and on shrinking constraints. For each virtual machine in the target set of virtual machines, each virtual disk associated with the virtual machine is identified. Furthermore, for each virtual disk associated with the virtual machine, the following occurs: the virtual disk is analyzed, a virtual disk saving quantity based on the virtual disk analysis is estimated, a resized virtual disk based on the estimated virtual disk saving quantity is generated, and the current virtual disk is replaced with the resized virtual disk.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems, computer program products and computer implemented methods. In some embodiments, the system includes a computer-implemented method of binning at least one integrated circuit chip, the method including determining a baseline operational voltage for the at least one integrated circuit chip, determining a total operational power threshold for the at least one integrated circuit chip, determining an initial performance characteristic for a first component of the at least one integrated circuit chip, operating the first component at a driving voltage higher than the baseline voltage to raise the initial performance characteristic of the first component to a raised performance characteristic while ensuring that operational power does not exceed the operational power threshold and assigning the at least one integrated circuit chip to a performance bin based on the raised performance characteristic.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for collating and intelligent sequencing of installation documentation includes parsing one or more product installation documents to identify annotations associated with installation procedures. Installation procedure descriptions, parameters, and prerequisites associated with the identified annotations are extracted, and prescriptive step-by-step installation instructions that integrate installation procedures contained within the one or more installation documents are generated.

Abstract: A method intercepts correlation instructions related to a plurality of meta-content elements associated with a primary content. The primary content or the meta-content elements may have associated privacy rules. At least one meta-content element of the group is selected as having privacy protected information specified in the privacy rules. A set of meta-content items, of meta-content element, are determined that are subject to a correlation restriction based on evaluation of the privacy rules with respect to each meta-content item contained in the meta-content element, and the privacy rules for the set of meta-content items are enforced.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus that enable appliance service instances to be provisioned in a subnet of a customer's private network on a service provider network without provisioning the backend nodes in the customer's subnet. At least one front-end node instance is provisioned in the customer's subnet. Instead of provisioning the backend nodes in the customer's subnet, the appliance service provider provisions the backend node instances in the appliance service provider's subnet. In addition, at least the front-end node instance may be provided with multiple interfaces. At least two of the interfaces face different subnets, with one facing the customer subnet and the other facing the backend subnet operated by the appliance service provider in which the backend node instances are implemented. In some implementations, a third interface may face a management subnet so that the owner of the front-end node instance may manage the instance.

Abstract: A method for identifying and diagnosing a vehicle includes: storing customer, vehicle, and repair shop order data of the vehicle in a work data memory device of a mobile communication interface; connecting the mobile communication interface to the vehicle and connecting a first vehicle inspection device at least to the mobile communication interface at a first work station; carrying out a first set of inspections on the vehicle using the first vehicle inspection device and/or the mobile communication interface; carrying out a second set of inspections on the vehicle using a second vehicle inspection device and/or the mobile communication interface on the basis of the first inspection results; and storing the customer, vehicle, and repair shop order data as well as the first and second inspection results of the vehicle into the central customer database.

Abstract: An approach for infrastructure asset management is provided. This approach comprises an end-to-end analytics driven maintenance approach that can take data about physical assets and additional external data, and apply advanced analytics to the data to generate business insight, foresight and planning information. Specifically, this approach uses a maintenance analysis tool, which is configured to: receive data about a set of physical assets of an infrastructure, and analyze the data about the set of physical assets to predict maintenance requirements for each of the set of physical assets. The maintenance analysis tool further comprises an output component configured to generate a maintenance plan based on the predicted maintenance requirements for each of the set of physical assets.

Abstract: An approach for infrastructure asset management is provided. This approach comprises an end-to-end analytics driven maintenance approach that can take data about physical assets and additional external data, and apply advanced analytics to the data to generate business insight, foresight and planning information. Specifically, this approach uses a maintenance analysis tool, which is configured to: receive data about a set of physical assets of an infrastructure, and analyze the data about the set of physical assets to predict maintenance requirements for each of the set of physical assets. The maintenance analysis tool further comprises an output component configured to generate a maintenance plan based on the predicted maintenance requirements for each of the set of physical assets.

Abstract: Techniques are described for generating and using information regarding road traffic in various ways, including by obtaining and analyzing road traffic information regarding actual behavior of drivers of vehicles on a network of roads. Obtained actual driver behavior information may in some situations be analyzed to identify decision point locations at which drivers face choices corresponding to possible alternative routes through the network of roads (e.g., intersections, highway exits and/or entrances, etc.), as well as to track the actual use by drivers of particular paths between particular decision points in order to determine preferred compound links between those decision point locations. The identified and determined information from the analysis may then be used in various manners, including in some situations to assist in determining particular recommended or preferred routes of vehicles through the network of roads based at least in part on actual driver behavior information.

Abstract: Techniques for configuring a wireless network cloud system comprise the following steps. A density metric is estimated corresponding to at least one given coverage area of a wireless network cloud system. A configuration is determined for one or more network-access components in the given coverage area of the wireless network cloud system in response to the estimated density metric. The determined configuration may then be applied to the one or more network-access components. The density metric may correspond to a user density and/or a traffic density in the given coverage area.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for distributing a resource (such as electricity) using a resource allocation system. One of the disclosed embodiments is a method for generating a bid value for purchasing electricity in a market-based resource allocation system. In this embodiment, a desired performance value indicative of a user's desired performance level for an electrical device is received. Price information from an electricity futures market is received. A bid value for purchasing electricity from a local resource allocation market sufficient to operate the electrical device at the desired performance level is computed. In this embodiment, the computing is performed based at least in part on the desired performance value and based at least in part on the price information from the electricity futures market.

Abstract: Techniques are described for generating and using information regarding road traffic in various ways, including by obtaining and analyzing road traffic information regarding actual behavior of drivers of vehicles on a network of roads. Obtained actual driver behavior information may in some situations be analyzed to determine actual delays for vehicles encountering various particular road features in the network of roads, such as for identified decision points at which drivers face choices corresponding to possible alternative routes through the network of roads (e.g., intersections, highway exits and/or entrances, etc.) and/or for other traffic flow impediments. The identified and determined information from the analysis may then be used in various manners, including in some situations to assist in determining particular recommended or preferred routes of vehicles through the network of roads based at least in part on actual driver behavior information.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for supporting instance ordering selection policies (ISOPs) for network-accessible resources are disclosed. A system includes a plurality of resource instances of a provider network, and a resource manager. The resource manager assigns an ISOP to be used to respond to instance acquisition requests of a specified type from a particular client. In response to a request of the specified type from the client, the resource manager determines, based at least in part on the ISOP, an order in which a plurality of resource groups (such as a set of instances reservations of the client, or an instance marketplace accessible to multiple clients) is to be examined to obtain an instance for the client. Starting with a first resource group, the resource manager examines each resource group until an instance matching instance selection criteria specified in the request is found.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for distributing a resource (such as electricity) using a resource allocation system. One of the disclosed embodiments is a method for generating a bid value for purchasing electricity in a market-based resource allocation system. In this embodiment, a desired performance value indicative of a user's desired performance level for an electrical device is received. Price information from an electricity futures market is received. A bid value for purchasing electricity from a local resource allocation market sufficient to operate the electrical device at the desired performance level is computed. In this embodiment, the computing is performed based at least in part on the desired performance value and based at least in part on the price information from the electricity futures market.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for provisioning a virtual resource instance (e.g., a server instance, etc.) in a networked computing environment (e.g., a cloud computing environment) based upon network characteristics (e.g., physical locations, email addresses/configurations, network connection types, internet protocol (IP) addresses, etc.) of a set (at least one) of intended end users of the virtual resource instance. Specifically, in a typical embodiment, the network characteristics associated with the set of intended end users will be gathered and analyzed (e.g., to determine end user location, etc.). The analysis of the network characteristics will then be used to calculate/determine relative (e.g., network) efficiency scores for each intended end user for a set of potential data centers for the virtual resource instance. The relative efficiency scores for each potential data center will be summed/totaled to yield a total (e.g.

Abstract: A new system and method for communicating between a host device and one or more slave devices are presented. The system provides data error checking and correcting, data encryption, and robust slave address sequencing using a portion of a session key. The data encryption uses a second portion of the session key, which changes for each power cycle.

Abstract: A data processing system comprises a client device connectable to the internet, the client device having a web browser for accessing information via the internet; the web browser being operable to access a list providing groups of internet addresses of online retailer internet pages, each group having two or more internet addresses each relating to different respective retailers' offerings of an item for purchase, so that a current internet address being accessed by the web browser is compared with internet addresses in the list and, if the current internet address is found within one of the groups, the other internet addresses in the group are returned as alternative internet addresses relating to a current item being viewed; the web browser being operable to detect a retail price of the current item from each of the internet addresses in the group containing the current internet address; and the web browser being operable to compare the retail prices and indicate the lowest such retail price for the current

Abstract: A manufacturer server 110 that determines a first invoice amount or calculates a second invoice amount for an inkjet printer has a billing status acquisition unit 342 that acquires billing status information including actual print volume PV. An actual print volume calculation unit 343 determines (i) if PV is less than or equal to a specific volume V1, in which case the first invoice amount, which is a fixed amount, is determined, and (ii) if PV exceeds V1, in which case the second invoice amount is calculated. An invoice amount calculation unit 344 determines or calculates the first or second invoice amount.

Abstract: A computer system or computer-implemented method may provide incentives to an insured customer for receiving sensor data indicating risk-reducing and risk-increasing behavior during the policy term. In-vehicle sensors or other devices may gather information about the vehicle and its use during the policy term and send the information to a back-end system for analysis. Based on this analysis, the back-end system may determine that the received information is indicative of risk-reducing or increasing behavior. Upon confirmation that the information indicates risk-reducing or increasing behavior, the back-end system may perform one or more actions defined by a set of rules to establish an incentive or disincentive for the customer corresponding to the behavior.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for collecting and evaluating powered vehicle operation utilizing on-board diagnostic components and location determining components or systems. The invention creates one or more databases whereby identifiable behavior or evaluative characteristics can be analyzed or categorized. The evaluation can include predicting likely future events. The database can be correlated or evaluated with other databases for a wide variety of uses.

Abstract: A graphical user interface is provided that can be used on a diagnostic too. The graphical user interface allows a technician to operate various functions of the diagnostic tool including searching for additional information on the Internet, receiving weather information that is relevant to certain diagnostic tests, and displaying in certain formats the retrieved vehicle data and when certain vehicles were last scanned or diagnosed. The graphical user interface alerts the technician that a part solution is available for a particular retrieved diagnostic trouble code and allows the technician to order a part.

Abstract: A routing module identifies POIs that can be reached from a route with a cost less than distance m. A routing engine performs a reverse exploration on nodes in the planned route to locate POIs from which the route can be reached with a cost of less than a second cost n. POIs identified as being reachable from the route with a cost of less than m, and from which the route is reachable with a cost less than n are then further filtered to identify a subset of the POIs for which the sum of the time or distance from the route to the POI and the time or distance from the POI back to the route is less than a threshold time or distance, t.

Abstract: A driving analysis server may be configured to receive vehicle location data and/or operation data from one or more vehicle systems, identify driving trips and/or driving patterns based on the vehicle data, determine risk assessment values corresponding to the driving trips and driving patterns, and calculate driver scores based on the analyzed driving trip and driving pattern data. Destination locations may be identified for a vehicle's driving trips, and information relating to the destination locations may be retrieved and analyzed to determine risk factors and risk assessment values associated with driving to and from the destination, as well as parking at the destination. Specific driving trip types or purposes may be identified, and driving scores may be calculated based on the vehicle location and time data, including the risk factors, risk assessment values, and the determined trip types or purposes.

Abstract: A driving analysis server may be configured to receive vehicle location data and/or operation data from one or more vehicle systems, identify driving trips and/or driving patterns based on the vehicle data, determine risk assessment values corresponding to the driving trips and driving patterns, and calculate driver scores based on the analyzed driving trip and driving pattern data. Destination locations may be identified for a vehicle's driving trips, and information relating to the destination locations may be retrieved and analyzed to determine risk factors and risk assessment values associated with driving to and from the destination, as well as parking at the destination. Specific driving trip types or purposes may be identified, and driving scores may be calculated based on the vehicle location and time data, including the risk factors, risk assessment values, and the determined trip types or purposes.

Abstract: A method of operating a communication system is disclosed. A time sensitive data stream is sent to a wireless device via a first wireless station. A handoff criteria is determined to have been satisfied. Based on the handoff criteria being satisfied, at least one control message is sent that instructs the wireless device to increase a buffer size associated with the time sensitive data stream.

Abstract: A system for automatically sorting a mailpostal matter and a method thereof are provided. The system for automatically sorting a mailpostal matter includes a mailpostal matter supply unit configured to convey two inputted mailpostal matters by controlling a distance between the two inputted mailpostal matters to be equal to a distance between carriers when the two mailpostal matters are inputted through one inlet at the same time, a mailpostal matter inserting unit, configured to insert the two conveyed mailpostal matters into two crossbelt carriers which are continuously empty at the same time when the two mailpostal matters are conveyed from the mailpostal matter supply unit, and a crossbelt carrier configured to move the two mailpostal matters inserted from the mailpostal matter inserting unit.

Abstract: Provided is a component for a network system, which includes a communication device for receiving at least energy information, a component driver part driven by supplied energy, and a control part that recognizes high price-related information or low price-related information, based on the energy information received by the communication device and that controls the component driver part. A method of controlling the component driver part when the high price-related information is recognized is different from a method of controlling the component driver part when the low price-related information is recognized.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling applications installed in a security module associated with a mobile terminal and adapted to increment at least one transaction value during a transaction effected by an application and, if that transaction value reaches an associated predetermined value, sending at least one connection command to a management server and blocking at least one application if the command fails. The invention also relates to a method of managing such applications adapted to receive a connection command, verify the user rights and update at least one transaction value and/or block at least one application as a function of the verification result. The invention further relates to a management server, a mobile terminal and a security module that can be used with a mobile terminal.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for estimating a diagnosis of a vehicle in need of repair in advance of performing any diagnostic tests on the vehicle. The invention further estimates the costs for a repair to a vehicle in need of repair in advance of performing any diagnostic tests to the vehicle. The system is particularly useful at a point-of-sale system in a vehicle repair center or in a off-site customer access tool.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium for usage billing of one or more hosted applications serving one or more clients. The hosted applications are contained within one or more isolated environments or run without isolated environments. The system may include usage billing based on one or more of resources open, amount of data flowing through resources, number of open files, number of transactions, number of concurrent users, number of processes, CPU utilization and memory usage, The system may further include a management interface where administrators may add, remove and configure isolated environments, configure client policies and credentials, and force upgrades. If using isolated environments, the isolated environments may be isolated from other applications and the host operating system on the clients and applications within the isolated environments may run without performing an application-installation on the client.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium for usage billing of one or more hosted applications serving one or more clients. The hosted applications are contained within one or more isolated environments or run without isolated environments. The system may include usage billing based on one or more of resources open, amount of data flowing through resources, number of open files, number of transactions, number of concurrent users, number of processes, CPU utilization and memory usage, The system may further include a management interface where administrators may add, remove and configure isolated environments, configure client policies and credentials, and force upgrades. If using isolated environments, the isolated environments may be isolated from other applications and the host operating system on the clients and applications within the isolated environments may run without performing an application-installation on the client.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the formation and rearrangement of ad hoc networks and more particularly to systems and methods for sharing bandwidth in ad hoc networks. The method comprises broadcasting a table to at least one potential lender requesting pertinent lender information and receiving the table from the at least one potential lender with the pertinent lender information. The method further includes selecting one or more lenders of the at least one potential lender which meet preset criteria and establishing an ad hoc network with the one or more lenders based on the selecting.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, an insurance business process may have a series of business process actions. Moreover, point of service customer interaction data associated with the insurance business process may be received along with external third-party information associated with a context of the insurance business process. Based on the external third-party data, the point of service customer interaction data may be systematically analyzed to identify a trend. The trend may be analytically mapped to a first business process action in the insurance business process. An indication of a recommended change to the first business process action may then be output based at least in part on the identified trend.

Abstract: A support system negotiates secure connections on behalf of multiple guest systems using a set of credentials associated with the guest systems. The operation of the secure connection may be transparent to the guest system such that guest system may send and receive messages that are encrypted or decrypted by the support system, such as a hypervisor. As the support system is in between the guest system and a destination, the support system may act as a local endpoint to the secure connection. Messages may be altered by the support system to indicate to a guest system which communications were secured. The credentials may be managed by the support system such that the guest system does not require access to the credentials.

Abstract: A system is described that processes transactions as sales and non-monetary transfers. Processing occurs in a cycle where at a single prompt, a transaction is identified as a sale or a non-monetary transfer. A good that is the subject of the transaction is also identified. The good, and either a sales price or cost price, depending on whether the transaction is a sale or a non-monetary transfer, respectively, is displayed. A record of the transaction, including whether the transaction is a sale or a non-monetary transfer and the sales price or cost price, respectively, is created and stored. An inventory count record is adjusted to reflect an adjustment to inventory based on the occurrence of the transaction. The system that processes transactions as sales and non-monetary transfers may include multiple devices in a server/client architecture or may include a single device. A corresponding method and storage medium are also described.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus inspects an application that is executed in a game device and displays a virtual space. The inspection apparatus comprises: an exposure indicator acquiring unit that acquires a first index relating to the exposure of an advertisement displayed in the virtual space from the game device, the index being calculated by the application that displays the virtual space from a user's point of view; an inspection image acquiring unit that acquires the virtual space, which is actually displayed on a screen on a frame by frame basis; an advertisement region extracting unit that extracts an advertisement displaying region from the image of the virtual space; an exposure indicator calculating unit that calculates a second index relating to the exposure of the advertisement based on the advertisement displaying region; and a verification unit that verifies the application by cross-checking the first index and the second index.

Abstract: It is provided a policy and charging control method carried out in a communication network. The communication network comprises a first network entity (100), PCFR, including a policy and charging rules function and a second network entity (200), PCEF, including a policy and charging enforcement function for enforcing policy and charging rules in at least two groups of cells, each group of cells including at least one cell. The method comprises configuring (S110), on the second network entity, for a first one group of the at least two groups of cells, an event subscription dependent on a location of the user equipment, the event subscription being specific to the first group of cells.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for optimizing prices for products and services based on consumer survey data, or at least based on the principle that non-flat prices such as $0.99, $3.95, $49.99, for example, create negative impressions about merchants. The system may retrieve a current price from a database and identify a price class or a price range to which the current price corresponds. The system may then execute a pricing process that is associated with the identified price class or price range. The pricing process computes an offer price that a majority of consumers will perceive as being more fair than the current price.

Abstract: A unified catalog of products and services is described. In one implementation, a method may include receiving an indication of products, offered by a business, that are to be provided to a customer of the business, where the products are defined in a catalog based on a hierarchical product model. The method further includes determining pricing information relating to the products, the determination of the pricing information including: identifying, based on the catalog, a plurality of pricing formulas associated with the plurality of products, and applying the pricing formulas to determine the pricing information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for demonstrating a replacement information management software for a computing system. The methods may include determining if existing information management software is installed in the computing system. The methods may include identifying computing devices of the computing system using information from the existing information management software. The methods may include simulating the replacement information management software with characteristics of the identified computing devices to enable a user to experience the replacement information management software prior to committing to installing the replacement information management software in the computing system. The methods may include automatically installing the replacement information management software. Other implementations are disclosed.

Abstract: A meter apparatus and method of operating a removable meter apparatus are described. The meter apparatus includes a tag associated with unique tag identification information and configured to be permanently affixed to a location housing at a unique physical location, and includes a removable meter unit configured to mate with the location housing and receive the tag identification from the tag and report the tag identification to a data manager configured to associate an identifier of the removable meter unit with the tag identification and unique physical location, and associate configuration information for the physical location with the removable meter unit and the tag identification. The unique physical location can comprise a single-space parking location.

Abstract: Systems and methods for analyzing energy usage are provided. In various embodiments, the systems and methods may receive weather information for a first set of geographical locations and correlate the weather information with energy demand information and economic information to generate one or more models indicating at least one energy usage pattern for a geographical location of interest based at least in part on the correlation of the weather information, the energy demand information, and the economic information.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method for calculating and selecting a convergence path based on cost. In one example, the method includes identifying multiple geometric convergence paths that each provides a convergence solution from a defined bottom hole assembly (BHA) location to a target path. A total monetary cost is calculated for each of the geometric convergence paths using an offset cost based on a distance of the geometric convergence path from the target path, a curvature cost based on an amount of curvature of the geometric convergence path, and a time cost based on an estimated amount of time needed to drill the geometric convergence path. The total monetary costs of the geometric convergence paths are compared and one of the geometric convergence paths is selected based on the total monetary cost of that geometric convergence path relative to the total monetary costs of the other geometric convergence paths.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), the method including: sending a first Sy spending limit request (SLR) to an online charging system (OCS) without specifying any policy counters; receiving from the OCS a first spending limit answer (SLA) including policy counters and associated status reports for a subscriber; creating an Sy session; determining required policy counters based upon the policy counter statuses; sending a second Sy SLR to the OCS for the required policy counters; and receiving a second SLA including status reports for the required policy counters.

Abstract: A multi-dimensional energy control system is provided with an energy management software application that organizes the consumption of energy by a device as an n-dimensional energy space, where n is an integer greater than 2, and each axis in the energy space represents an energy consumption characteristic. The energy management application generates instructions for a device in response to calculating a compromise operating point in the energy space. A user interface (UI) connected to the energy management application has a display to receive a graphical representation of the energy space and compromise operating point, and an input to receive user commands for moving the represented compromise operating point in the represented energy space. The energy management application calculates the compromise operating point in the energy space to match the displayed compromise operating point.

Abstract: There are cases where an OS running on an information processing apparatus cannot automatically prompt the user to enter user input information at the time of an output operation. In such cases, where the user cannot enter user input information at the time of an output operation, a device cannot acquire user input information necessary to output print data. When the information processing apparatus receives an instruction from the device, the information processing apparatus transmits user input information to the device.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus for setting a price for a multi-vending machine and a method thereof. The apparatus includes a price setting unit for inputting a price setting function, selecting a price setting column and inputting price information about the selected column; a control unit for controlling a price display of the selected column when the column is selected and the price information is input through the price setting unit; and a price display unit for displaying prices of products exhibited in a column according to a price display control of the control unit.